The time has finally come… you’re locked in, ready to go, and you’re going to ace your retake exam. Why? Because you’ve followed our TOP 5 tips that ensure your success in passing your Psychiatric Board Exam with ease!
1 – Analyze Your Weak Points
If you know where you struggled with most in the last board exam you can hone in on intaking as much information as you can retain. These don’t need to just be areas you did pool on previously, but could also be ones that could be further reinforced. Try out My Psych Board’s customizable tests that zero in on your most missed questions!
2 – Focus On The NOW
The past is the past, there’s no point in going back! The only way to move in a positive direction is forward. Learn from your mistakes and how you can apply what you’ve learned for better-guaranteed results. If you stay focused on past failure it’s only going to bring negativity and additional stress to your study sessions.
3 – Create A Plan
When studying it’s essential to make the most of your time. Create a plan tailored to your needs. Before you can even begin studying you need to make sure you have all the resources you need. Organize items into folders, check you have all the materials you need, and tidy up your study spot.
4 – Utilize Detailed Questions Banks (like ours here)
With detailed Q-Banks, you’ll get the blueprints, questions, detailed information, vignettes, and more! Within the question breaks, you can get real-time feedback on correct answers, and learn where you’ll need to continue to improve.
BONUS TIP: Did you know we offer FREE Trials of all of our Question Banks? Click here to try today (with no credit card required…)
5 – Take Regular Breaks
As with anything don’t overdo it, You need to ensure you aren’t pushing yourself too far! When you’re studying and preparing for the exam you’re taking a mental health break. This will help break up your studying time, keep you from feeling overwhelmed, and ensure you’re retaining all the information you’re taking in.
Still, feeling uneasy? Contact us and we can help YOU pass your boards with ease!
How to Retain Clients as a Therapist
/in General, Health and WellnessIn the field of psychiatry, talk therapy -or psychotherapy- is one of the hallmark services you can offer clients. Psychotherapy is an effective means of addressing various issues via multiple therapeutic modalities that can reap benefits (typically) without the use of pharmaceuticals. Finding the right “fit” between a client and therapist is a huge hurdle that many people find intimidating. Instead of taking the time to find the right person to work with, clients may either settle for the first therapist they try OR sign off on talk therapy as a bad experience. And while it CAN happen, the odds of the first therapist being the one they want to stick with is pretty small.
But talk therapy isn’t a one-way street. It’s a reciprocal relationship between you, the provider, and the client. We’re here to talk about how you can increase the odds of being the right “fit” for your clients in the event they’re one of those people that picked your name out of a hat and didn’t take the time to research your therapeutic approach, philosophy, or personality.
The Process of Choosing a Therapist, According to Google
Money
How do people decide on a therapist? A quick google search reveals 3 main avenues. Firstly, people are told to consider their finances. They’re told to choose a therapist depending on whether or not that provider accepts specific health insurance options, what billing looks like, figuring out a budget, etc. And at the end of the list of questions is “What is the therapist’s philosophy to wellness?” or “What issues are you looking to address in therapy?” While financial aspects are certainly important for the client to know, it may increase their perception of a provider if those questions centric to their wellbeing- the questions typically last on the list of “questions you should ask your therapist”- are addressed up front.
People have an innate need to be seen, heard, and treated like a valuable member of society. By all means, answer their questions about billing, copays, and insurance needs, but also take a second and follow up with addressing why THEY want to be there or what they expect from you.
Word of Mouth
Another common tool being cited on how to choose a therapist is word of mouth. Multiple sources directly state to ask relatives and friends who they see and call for an introduction. This works well for the provider, granted they have clients out in circulation willing to disclose their name to others. But this isn’t necessarily the best option for the client since choosing your therapist is a highly personal experience.
If you find yourself with multiple clients that are coming to you because they were referred to you by a personal acquaintance, first off GREAT!
Second off, again, follow this up with connecting with the client more intimately. Yes, their relative/friend/coworker has a productive and beneficial relationship with you. But make sure THIS person knows that each person has different needs and you are concerned with making sure you can be a benefit for THEM.
Credentials and Online Access
Lastly, if someone is looking through Google on advice on how to pick their therapist they will also see to check credentials and look for online access (because telehealth tends to have lower copay rates). Be sure your credentials, licensure, and specialties are easily visible on your website if you have one (or databases you may be listed on). If you don’t have this information listed online, offer it when approached by a client. Transparency and openness can give the client peace of mind that you are a trustworthy provider that may increase the odds of retention. And if you don’t have a website, consider making one as this increases your searchability and access to larger client bases.
Becoming a trusted provider for a client is a weighty responsibility, and retaining that trust takes time and intention. Sometimes the match isn’t good despite the effort you make for it, and that’s OK. You’re still doing the best you can and that’s all anyone can ask for. And if you’re feeling chatty, spread some word of mouth by telling your friends or coworkers about My Psych Board so we can help you all become the successful providers we know you can be 🙂 Contact us with any questions you have today!
How the 5 minute rule can help YOU!
/in Board Prep, StudyingSpring is in the air, the sun is starting to shed some warm rays, and the first shoots of green grass are starting to burst out of the ground. If you’re like me, the LAST thing you want to do is be cooped up inside studying. Spring fever is real! But…so are exams 🙂
Some days it feels like there’s a mental block stopping you from doing anything productive. Whether it be due to distractions, mental overload, or just plain old tired of doing the same things, everyone feels this way from time to time. And let’s be real, being where you are right now is overwhelming. If you’re prepping for boards, maybe you’re in rotations, maybe you’ve got your own practice, either way there’s a lot of stuff going on around you. Your brain can get a little worn out from everything and demand a break. That’s where a good method like the 5 minute rule can come in!
What is the 5 minute rule?
The 5 minute rule is a concept used in several therapy modalities. It’s pretty simple- all you have to do is sit and do an activity for 5 minutes. That’s it. Then you can get up, walk outside for some fresh air, check your socials, do whatever you want. YOU GET YOUR BREAK!
The next step to this rule is after a while you go back and do another 5 minutes. 5 minutes on, an interval of time off, 5 minutes on, an interval of time off,– you get the point. Even though it doesn’t seem like you can do much in 5 minutes, you’d be surprised how far into a question bank you can get or how far into a chapter you can read in that much time. Especially when you’ve come back to it a few times!
So if the springtime song of birds are calling you to run outside, or the spring fever cleaning bug is making you want to reorganize your house, you can let it! Just slip in those 5 minutes throughout the day and you won’t get too off track.
Curious how far into a bank you CAN get in 5 minutes? Give our question banks a try- FREE- using our Free Trial! Jump on Test Mode and get a feel for how the timed version of exams work. Want more material to work with? Check out our Question Banks and find the perfect fit for you! Or, contact us with any questions you have so we can help you get your 5 minutes in!
How to Navigate Daylight Savings This Year
/in General, Health and Wellness, StudyingIn the coming days, most of the continental U.S. will adopt Daylight Savings Time (DST). From March to approximately November, most people will lose a whole hour of sleep by moving the clocks forward one hour. Because of this shift, those individuals will be exposed to less morning sunlight and more evening sunlight.
If you feel like your whole body is dragging for days, or even weeks, following this time change you’re not alone. Losing an hour of sleep may sound insignificant, but as most parents of small children and exhausted students cramming for exams can attest, that precious 60 minutes makes a huge difference.
The disruption of your circadian rhythm can lead to a host of difficulties including increase in depression, slow metabolism, cluster headaches, and weight gain. Further, in the weeks following DST there’s a noted spike in fatal car accidents, strokes, digestive and immune related diseases, and risk of heart attacks. AND…who wants to study when they feel like they can’t stay awake? It can make you feel more awake at night instead of during the day and then your whole schedule is out the window.
Daylight Savings Savers
This transition is difficult, but there are things you can do to help if you know you are particularly effected by the time change.
Maintain your sleep hygiene. If you have a solid sleep routine, be sure to keep on top of it during the time change. If you regularly journal or read before lights out, or whatever the ritual may be, be sure to start that process one hour sooner than normal to trigger the same conditioning.
Get outside in the morning! Depending on your geographical location, this may be easier said than done. However, if you can get out into the morning sunlight for just a little while that can help keep your circadian rhythm intact, or at least less skewed. Too cold where you live? Some people find benefit of using a sunlight lamp!
Try a morning workout routine. This involves the brute force of physical activity to wake up your body and reset your internal clock. Some people find a morning run refreshing, some people would rather crawl in a hole than do that. It’s all about balance 🙂
Do you bounce back from the DST transition, or do you find it difficult to function for a while? We want to help you either way. Let us help you get studying back on rhythm by trying out our Question Banks and find the best option for you! Or Contact us with any questions you have so we can help you set up a plan to help you reset your individual exam prepping clock.
REFERENCE:
https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/daylight-savings-time-your-health#:~:text=%22With%20DST%2C%20between%20March%20and,and%20awake%20in%20the%20evening.